Ski Tahoe
Ski Tahoe!
The abundant snow and alpine peaks around Lake Tahoe lure skiers worldwide. Skiers and Snowboarders come to Tahoe for the huge diversity of trails and terrain, the sparkling scenic views, and the friendly local lake tahoe nightlife.
It’s no wonder that Lake Tahoe is a Mecca for skiers and boarders—Tahoe has the highest concentration of ski resorts in North America. Lake Tahoe boasts 14 downhill ski resorts and 11 cross-country ski trail areas. In addition to the ski trails themselves, Lake Tahoe also offers the perks of fine dining, shopping, diverse cultural attractions, and unique nightlife.
Top 10 reasons to Ski at Tahoe
- Biggest variety of terrain & trails in North America
- Incredible views from trails and peaks
- Diverse accommodations (over 100 hotels, Inns, and B&Bs)
- Shopping and night life
- Variety of good food—165 restaurants in the area
- Premier ski schools & instructors
- Dozens of museums, parks, and cultural attractions
- Scenic, adventurous, and romantic getaway vacation
- Plenty of activities for skiers and non-skiers alike
- Accessibility/ Location (Lake Tahoe is a 1 hour drive from the Reno/Tahoe
- International Airport—RNO, or a 2 hour drive from the Sacramento
- International Airport—SMF.)
Lake Tahoe Ski Facts
- Lake Tahoe has the highest concentration of ski resorts in North America
- Ski season: Thanksgiving weekend- early April
- Number of ski resorts: 14
- Number of cross-country ski areas: 11
- Average snowfall (lake area): 125 inches
- Annual snowfall (higher elevation areas): up to 500 inches
- Average snow base (December-March): 100-200 inches
- Elevation (lake): 6,200 feet above sea level
- Elevation of peaks: many over 8,000 feet (including Heavenly at over
- 0,000 feet)
Skier’s History of Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is within the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, a 400-mile paradise that includes Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park. Lake Tahoe is nearing the northern edge of this area. Volcanic activity created this region about 130 million years ago. Faults caused the land to thrust up, resulting in steep, rugged peaks. The thermal activity is still evident today in the relaxing hot springs in the Sierra Nevada area. Mountain glaciers carved out valleys, such as the Lake Tahoe Basin, and created deep alpine lakes.
Lake Tahoe is the 10th deepest inland lake in the world, and is also regarded as one of the purest. Tahoe is known for its stunning cobalt blue color, which is caused by its incredible depth (Lake Tahoe is 1,640 feet deep). Lake Tahoe was first nickname der blaue—the blue one—by German skiers.
Lake Tahoe attracts celebrities, conservationists, athletes, and nature enthusiasts. Mark Twain said that Lake Tahoe “must be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.” John Muir campaigned to turn Lake Tahoe into a National Park, and helped begin conservation efforts.
